Word January 2000
by garnet eyes
Summary: Using Dictionary .com's January 2000 Word of the Day as basis for freehand thoughts and interactions of the Baron trio.  Length and perspective both vary.  Not intended to follow a single timeline.  Kain, Rosa, and Cecil in various combinations.
1. Segue C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 01 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>segue<em>, intransitive verb;  
>1. To proceed without interruption; to make a smooth transition<br>noun;  
>1. An instance or act of segueing; a smooth transition<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"That was horrible."

Holding his texts firmly in his arms, Baron's adopted prince walked briskly from his academic course with the blonde knight-in-training at his side. Kain, however, clearly did not have the same opinion, judging from the rakish smile on his face.

"It was _hilarious_."

Blue lips pursed a moment before bright emerald eyes turned to gaze up at the taller teen at Cecil's side.

"Don't be so cruel, Kain. That was an embarrassment to witness, to say nothing of what Scholar Brimsby must have felt."

"What's that, now?"

Both teens stopped walking and turned to acknowledge the new speaker, one with a self-satisfied grin and the other a tiny smile.

"Rosa."

"Good day, Rosa."

She nodded in acknowledgement to both of them before turning an arched look toward the older blonde.

"I don't ever see Kain in a good mood after academics. What have you done?"

Bringing a nimble hand to his mouth, Cecil turned his head away and giggled – and it _was_ giggling, not chuckling, no matter what the little prince _said_. Kain didn't feel like ruffling those particular feathers at the moment, though, and besides he might need Cecil to aid his defense.

"I've not done a thing, Rosa. We were discussing class."

The slender blonde crossed her arms over her developing bosom with a frown.

"I find that difficult to believe."

The older blonde couldn't be offended, not really; he tended to sleep through his classes and just have Cecil teach him the material later. It was easier, and the young prince didn't mind doing it. But sleeping through class tended to make him disruptive when the scholars tried to call him on it, so he'd been censured a number of times publicly. But he'd never failed a test, never even did as poorly as the student average, so no one really knew how to call him on his behavior since it wasn't ill-effecting his knowledge.

"Ask Cecil if you cannot trust me. I even stayed awake for half the class this time."

Turning back, sparkling emerald eyes glanced between the two of them before settling on the white mage apprentice.

"He speaks the truth, Rosa. What happened was in no way his doing."

Appeased for the moment, the younger blonde fell into step beside them.

"And what happened?"

Cecil pressed his lips together, clearly not intending to answer her, but Kain saw no reason to hide the knowledge. It wasn't as though everyone else wouldn't be spreading it around anyway.

"Brimsby gave a rather impromptu lecture on sex."

Rosa brought her hands up to her lips, clearly horrified, but the eldest of the trio merely grinned. Cecil cleared his throat quietly and glanced over at the white mage apprentice with color on his cheeks.

"It was assuredly unintentional, but it was frightfully easy for the double meaning to surface in his words. Unfortunately, he did not even realize it until a good eight or so minutes into his lecture."


	2. Palimpsest C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 02 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>palimpsest<em>, noun;  
>1. A manuscript, usually of papyrus or parchment, on which more than one text has been written with the earlier writing incompletely erased and still visible.<br>2. An object or place whose older layers or aspects are apparent beneath its surface.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?"

Crystalline emerald eyes blinked owlishly as they rose from the yellowed pages of the thick tome weighing down the prince's thin legs.

"...Kain? What are you doing here?"

With an arched look, the blonde crossed his arms over his chest.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do know how to read."

The younger boy blushed and looked away a moment before calmly closing the musty pages and setting the archaic law book aside.

"Is there something you need?"

With no one else around, and Kain knew that for a fact because he'd checked the castle library thoroughly before approaching the adopted prince, the blonde felt comfortable enough pushing his friend to the side of the plush chair so that he could fit in it as well. Cecil shifted with little prompting, but the chair was not big enough for them both plus the book and the smaller boy ended up pressed up against Kain's side with the book wedging him into the crook of the blonde's arm.

"I'd like your perspective, if you have the time."

Cecil smiled, his expression gentle and clearly willing, and Kain flopped his head against the cushioned back of the chair as he closed his eyes. It wouldn't do to show his relief, but the blonde was always happy when his tiny friend was willing to listen to him. Kain really didn't like talking, liked expressing his problems even less, but sometimes he needed help and he was too proud to go to any of the nobility. He was, as he was so often reminded, the last of one of the highest noble clans, and others would take advantage of his weaknesses if he ever let them. Cecil was different, though. He wasn't noble, he was a waif adopted by Baron's king, and the royal without pedigree didn't even pretend to act as though his place was assured. Kain had for most of the time he'd known the younger boy felt like it was actually Cecil who was older. The little prince wasn't quite as naive as others thought, and he often held deep insights that Kain wouldn't have expected from anyone younger than a grown man. Of course, Cecil was also a terrible klutz within social situations, but Kain was helping him out with that. It wasn't honorable to take from a man without giving something back.


	3. Bete noire C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day

Author: Garnet Eyes v. FFIV  
>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com<br>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011  
>Summary: 03 January 2000 edition.<br>Rating: T  
>CharactersPairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>bete noire<em>, noun;  
>1. Something or someone particularly detested or avoided; a bugbear.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain fidgeted as he waited for the white mages to be done looking over the bloodless prince. He knew his scrawny friend was insulted a lot by the other children, but Cecil was actually pretty tough for his girly looks and it didn't seem like he cared either way. The blonde hadn't meant any harm when he left earlier than usual with Rosa; the adopted prince couldn't keep up with them and he wanted to do something specific today, something that Rosa wanted to do too, so she hadn't argued the early departure. Kain hadn't really thought about the fact that Cecil didn't really have many friends; he'd never seen the bloodless prince around any other children unless it was a formal event. But nobility tended to defer to the higher ranks and Cecil was Kain's, and Kain knew how the clan houses were constantly going on about _the Last Highwind_ so there was no way that the children didn't know that he was important. Yet the blondes had returned around mid evening only to discover that their friend was in the infirmary, badly bruised and bloodied, and that he wasn't talking to anyone the one time he'd woken up. Rosa worried at his side, but there was nothing either of them could do until they were given permission to see Cecil. He shouldn't have been feeling guilty, because he didn't have to spend all of his time with the bloodless prince, but Kain figured he'd be worming out a list of names and he'd take care of them himself anyway.


	4. Farrago C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 04 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>farrago<em>, noun;  
>1. A confused mixture; an assortment; a medley.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had always been a man of many skills. Even when he was very young, his interests had ranged far and wide, and he'd never ignored something just because it was, as Kain so glibly informed him, "woman's work." Sword studies were fascinating and Cecil loved learning all that he needed to know to be a good royal and knight, but it didn't feel right excluding his other friend just because she was, well, female. What did it matter if he knew things none of the other knights did? He was assured to be in better spirits at the end of a long mission for being a better cook, and he didn't always feel like reading when he was too tired for more sword work so how was it a bad thing to continue to be productive anyway by knitting? The repetitive task was therapeutic and he felt accomplished when he _made_ something, when he created an overshirt or a hat or any number of other things instead of focusing all of himself on the destructive skills of his knighthood. Plus, knowing how to perform the same tasks that she knew had strengthened his bond with Rosa, and _she_ never looked at him as though his odd variety of skills could possibly be a bad thing.


	5. Expatiate C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 05 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>expatiate<em>, intransitive verb;  
>1. To speak or write at length or in considerable detail.<br>2. To move about freely; to wander.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Fear was a tricky thing, Kain had learned from a young age. As a young boy, everyone had always considered him to be fearless, and even to this day there wasn't much that could move him. No one except Rosa, not even Cecil unless he had managed to guess, knew of any fear of his. This was a protective measure, one that had developed after watching what had happened to the bloodless prince when they had been young children. Cecil had always been ridiculously naive, and hadn't particularly hidden his intense dislike for things like snakes and worms and squids – and he'd actually _specifically mentioned_ squids, when they lived over a day's travel from the ocean and had only been to it once – or basically anything that either had tentacles or looked like one. Okay, Kain could understand things like Marlboros, because they were exceedingly dangerous, but Cecil wasn't afraid of getting poisoned or anything reasonably upsetting. He was afraid of the _tentacles_, as though they were some horrifying entity in and of themselves. And he'd gone off on how "creepy" they were at length, on more than one occasion. It was such a ridiculous thing to be afraid of; how often did someone encounter tentacles on a day to day basis? And the worms and little garden snakes were threatening how? But Kain kept his peace on the matter, because the bloodless prince was more than a little girly and things that slithered tended to frighten girls.

However, Kain was not the only one who knew about Cecil's irrational fears, and the blonde's pedigree gave him plenty of knowledge of just how spiteful and vindictive people could be for no reason. Like His Majesty King Odin's illegitimate heirs, who had always had some complex about the bloodless prince being adopted into Baron's royalty when there were already plenty of them vying for the crown. To be specific, Prince Albert had _somehow_ acquired an octopus on the sly and put the live creature in Cecil's bed. _While he was sleeping in it_. The other children got a good laugh over it, but Cecil had been hysterical to the point of sobbing and he wouldn't go anywhere near his own bed for weeks. He wouldn't even sleep for the first few days for fear of another one of those "vile beasts" magically appearing. Hell, even after reaching his majority Cecil still squirmed when faced with anything vaguely resembling an octopus.

Point being, Kain knew well to keep his own mouth shut if he didn't wish to be exploited.


	6. Nadir C,K,R, imKxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 06 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>nadir<em>, noun;  
>1. [Astronomy] The point of the celestial sphere directly opposite the zenith and directly below the observer.<br>2. The lowest point; the time of greatest depression or adversity.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Chocolate eyes gazed solemnly out into the night sky from the tower window. It was awkward, being back in Baron. Things had changed during his multiple year absence, although some things never would. He felt a touch out of place, even having been offered the sleeping arrangements that he had vacated behind him. He wasn't needed anymore, not like before, and it left a stinging sensation in his chest. His selfishness in the past had caused his current unhappiness, though, and he would simply have to live with it.

"Kain..?"

A gentle hand rested on his bare shoulder, and the dragoon began to turn his head before pausing, already well aware of who was behind him.

"Rosa."

With a soft swish of fabric, she moved to stand beside him, her slender body covered in the thin silk of her nightgown and nothing else. She crossed her bare arms over her breast, her head tilting to the side as she regarded the larger blonde.

"Are you not tired?"

Turning his head from the window to acknowledge her presence, the dragoon replied quietly, his voice low and deep in the otherwise still night air.

"I am."

"Then will you not come to bed?"

How he wished that she could understand, but the white mage could never understand the well of his regrets and broken dreams.

"Rosa..."

He could not taint her with such idle truths, not when she would hurt so easily from it, and so he allowed his thoughts and words to die in his throat and did not bother to pick up the conversation. Azure eyes lowered before the younger blonde stepped closer to him and reached one hand up to lightly rest against his bicep, her other arm falling to her side as she craned her neck to once again catch his eye.

"..Kain, what must we do to convince you of our sincerity? You belong with us."

His lips pressed together firmly for a moment, but the dragoon did not speak a word as his own eyes drifted to the royal bed. Cecil slept on in his position on his side, dead to the world, and Kain couldn't help but fondly recall that he could get away with doing a lot to the paladin in their younger days because Cecil simply didn't wake up easily. But those days were long gone, and the older knight knew better than to wish for hopeless dreams.

"Come to bed."

Rosa grasped his hand to guide him, and the dragoon allowed himself to be led. She pushed him to get into the bed before her, literally shoving at his shoulders to get him to comply, and Kain felt a tug in his heart as he allowed her to have her way, as he always had when they were younger. The paladin remained deeply unconscious and unaware of the shifting bed as Kain settled beside him, and Rosa soon followed onto the comfortable mattress. She curled herself against Kain's side as he lied on his back, and the dragoon allowed his arm to encircle her back to keep her close, desiring her warmth. Because he was close enough to do so, the blonde knight wrapped his other arm around Cecil, pulling the paladin against his side, and was caught off guard by the soft murmur accompanying the half nuzzle into his chest.

"..Kain..."

Blinking, the dragoon gazed down at the crown of the smaller man's head in bewilderment, but Cecil did not stir. Some small part of Kain's heart swelled, and the corners of his lips twitched up before he relaxed back into the bed and tightened his arms around his king and queen as he closed his eyes.


	7. Fulsome K

***Note**: 07 January 2000 edition is rated MA; see profile for other posting sites

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 08 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>fulsome<em>, adjective;  
>1. Offensive to the taste or sensibilities.<br>2. Insincere or excessively lavish; especially, offensive from excess of praise.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was tired of hearing all about how "great" the bloodless prince was. All of the noble children described Prince Cecil as girly and annoying, but all of the adults went on and on about how smart and attractive the tiny prince was. The Highwind heir was, unfortunately, around the adults more often, and he got sick of the never ending prattle. Cid had given him a funny look when he'd grumped about it while helping the mechanic do something that would, supposedly, eventually involve air travel. Which was definitely something Kain wanted to be involved in. Of course, just like any boring adult, the engineer told Kain he'd change his opinion if he actually talked to the prince. Kain didn't _want_ to change his opinion, didn't want to be just like all those mindless adults. He certainly didn't want to go on and on worshiping a clanless peasant that King Odin had picked up like some stray mutt.


	8. Constitutional C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 09 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>constitutional<em>, noun;  
>1. A walk taken for one's health.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

After he'd broken his leg terribly and been remanded to bed rest, Cecil had been anxious to become mobile again. The young prince didn't want to disappoint his liege, after all, and he was antsy to start training again. After his first fall during his recovery, however, Cecil was willing to scale back. As Kain had so kindly pointed out to him, only an idiot would keep hurting himself to get better _faster_. The older teen meant well, though, and Cecil wasn't offended anyway.

His leg was still stiff although it was no longer bound, but the prince felt a lot like an invalid for having to use a cane. He was only fourteen. To become accustomed to movement again, he took long walks around the castle grounds, since there was no way that he would be joining his fellow knights-in-training any time soon for practice. It made the young prince feel like he was accomplishing something, at least, when he managed to traverse the whole perimeter of the castle without having to stop because of cramping pains. It was a start, even if he knew that he had a long way to go yet.


	9. Quondam C,K, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 10 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>quondam<em>, adjective;  
>1. Having been formerly; former; sometime.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain frowned as he stood next to Cecil, who remained silent and stiff in front of a cold, formal headstone with his infant son cradled close to his breast. As much as it pained him to be back in Baron before he was ready, the dragoon could not be so callous as to ignore his friend now of all times. And to come back knowing that Rosa was no longer in this world, Kain felt a bit hollow inside. It would be easy to blame Cecil, to turn his sadness to anger, but that would do no good for anyone. She'd had trouble during childbirth, but she'd had plenty of medical attention and she'd seemed to have recovered. And then, one day only one month later, she'd simply not woken up. Cecil was clearly devastated and had taken to keeping his son with him at all times, fearing that he would lose the last living piece of his wife if he at all neglected the babe.

That the paladin was not doing so well for himself less than a month after her passing was not surprising to the older male. Those whom held the privilege of being let into Cecil's heart held full reign of the space, and to lose one of the most important people to him was a bitter blow. Kain refused to leave the younger man's side at this point, because, although the king took care of his duties and tended to his court and his kingdom, the dragoon had known him since the paladin had been three and Cecil was merely going through the motions. He wasn't broken, but he was teetering close to that point, and Kain would not allow himself to bear witness to a man falling apart when it was within his power to prevent such an event.

Moving closer, the dragoon rested an arm over the shorter knight's shoulders and felt the tiny tremor in them before Cecil sagged and leaned heavily against him. Although he did not much care for physical touch, Kain did not recoil. His friend needed him more than he needed the space. With a shaky exhale, the paladin stood straight after a few quiet minutes and turned his attention to his son. It would take time, but Cecil would definitely recover.


	10. Sinecure C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 11 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>sinecure<em>, noun;  
>1. An office or position that requires or involves little or no responsibility, work, or active service.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was rather sick and tired of the illegitimate blood princes harping on him about his cushy position as the king's "favorite." Cecil adored him, certainly, but the paladin expected Kain to pull his weight. The dragoon expected to pull his own weight, for that matter; he'd never accept a place like those cheeky bastards implied. He'd _love_ for some of them to push for a place as dragoon knights, if for no other reason than sweet, sweet revenge. Let them argue about his worth when they were too exhausted to stand at the end of the day. But, of course, that would never happen. The remaining blood princes were louts; lazy men who floundered their money on frivolities and had nothing to show for their lives. Their mothers were grossly disappointed in them, looking instead to marry off their daughters to highborn homes to achieve the support their sons should have been giving them. Kain couldn't understand how they could dishonor their lineage so thoroughly by their behaviors. They were older than Cecil and _they_ were the ones related to the royal line, yet it was perfectly clear that they were content to squander away all that they had, expecting their youngest sibling, the only "member" of their house to not have blood ties, to support them and their families ever after. Cecil was generous, but he only went so far when he saw no return. The king wasn't stupid.


	11. Vainglory C,K, imCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 12 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, implied Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>vainglory<em>, noun;  
>1. Excessive pride in one's achievements, abilities, qualities, etc.<br>2. Vain display.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

Even though Kain hailed from one of the oldest clans in Baron's history, born into one of the highest positions of nobility that could be achieved outside of the royal line, he'd never really been that interested in the courts. To him, life was always about what lay on the horizon, how far he could go and how much he could see. More than once while growing up he'd had to hack off chunks of his hair due to getting it horribly tangled in branches or thorny bushes. He was always covered in scrapes and cuts and scabs, and rarely did his clothing ever last more than a few months.

After his parents died and His Majesty took him in, Kain became far too acquainted with just how prissy the bloodless prince was. Cecil was bound and determined to make Kain "publicly acceptable" no matter the larger boy's preferred activities. Right from the start, it was obvious that the clanless prince _hated_ getting dirty, and he badgered the blonde into washing every evening. Which was stupid, because Kain would just get filthy again the following day. The younger boy was worse than any woman about making Kain neat and tidy, to the point that he often took baths _with_ the older boy just to ensure that Kain cleaned up properly. That wasn't all bad, though, because the little prince was very particular about cleaning the debris from blonde hair, and that meant nimble fingers kneading against his scalp, which always felt nice. He could do without the nagging about how he "menaced" his hair, but Cecil just wouldn't shut up about that until the blonde finally started being a little more careful; once it was evened out and long enough, the prince always made certain that it was tied back neatly before Kain "went out of his way to become filthy again." Cecil tended to pick out his clothing, too, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing either regardless of how much it sometimes seemed to Kain that he was being used as a life-size dress-up doll, because it meant that there was always someone aware of when he needed new clothing due to the old ones being in tatters. Additionally, the adopted prince was rather appalled by the sheer amount of bruising that Kain received on any given day, and had even gone so far as to learn a weak healing spell because Kain was "ruining his pretty face" and needed to take better care of himself, and the white mages wouldn't waste their talents on regular everyday bumps.

No one else in Baron knew about the bloodless prince's affinity for white magic, because he wouldn't use it on anyone else. He didn't even really use it publicly, because he was already taunted enough for being tiny and without pedigree, and it would only be worse if the noble children knew that the adopted prince, who was training to be a dark knight, used white magic of all things. Cecil was picked on a lot for his faults, things about himself that simply _were_ and he had no power over, so Kain didn't think badly of his desire to hide the one thing that he could control that would cause others to make fun of him more. And it was a lot easier on the blonde to have someone keep track of all of the stuff he didn't really care much about, because it gave him the ability to focus on what he wanted to do. By the time the bloodless prince was no longer a pipsqueak, the dragoon kind of expected his friend to take care of the boring aspects of his life. Cecil clearly didn't mind, or he wouldn't have been doing it since they were very young. Still, it was a bit of a shock when the older man realized that the young prince was neglecting him, just a little. Kain really didn't want to admit to himself that that had anything to do with his malcontent with how much time Cecil and Rosa had started spending with each other.


	12. Canard C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 13 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>canard<em>, noun;  
>1. An unfounded, false, or fabricated report or story.<br>2. A horizontal control and stabilizing surface mounted forward of the main wing of an aircraft.  
>3. An aircraft whose horizontal stabilizer is mounted forward of the main wing.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil, Kain was pretty sure, could sleep through cannon fire. The prince was completely dead to the world when he slept, and that was a _fact_, because the dragoon had more than once manhandled the smaller knight and gotten zero response for doing so. The only good thing about his being such a sound sleeper was the fact that Cecil didn't move at all. He fell asleep in one position, and that was the position that he woke up in unless there was some form of outside interference.

Rosa was a moderate sleeper; she wasn't a princess about her sleeping situation, but she did wake up to reasonable ruckus. While that was safer than Cecil's catatonic states while they were on missions, she, on the other hand, _punched_ in her sleep. And she did so with surprising strength. Not that she disturbed Cecil in the least, although he was always confused when he woke up with bruises he was pretty sure he hadn't had when he fell asleep.

She tended to complain about Kain's sleeping habits, too, which was utterly ridiculous. He wasn't violent in his sleep. He'd never given someone a black eye in the middle of the night without knowing it. He was also a light sleeper, so it wasn't as though he was slow to react in any situation. But, apparently, he snored. He'd bunked with others before and no one had ever said anything about it. Cecil never said anything about it, not that he would necessarily know, but still. She was the only one who thought he snored. So it wasn't so surprising that he didn't believe her.


	13. Gainsay C,K,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 14 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>gainsay<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To deny or dispute; to declare false or invalid.<br>2. To oppose; to contradict.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

"You make the cutest little noises, though."

"I do _not_."

Rounding the corner and climbing the last set of stairs to reach the royal chambers, Kain found he couldn't help his mouth, even knowing that his queen and king were having a private conversation. Cecil sounded completely flustered, and that meant that he was about to be blushing so hard that it was a miracle he didn't catch fire. The dragoon rather liked helping that blush along.

"Noises?"

Rosa blinked and turned toward the egress as Kain emerged and, sure enough, Cecil's already pink cheeks darkened as he looked away before the dragoon could catch his eye.

"Ah, I suppose you could be an objective third party."

Looking utterly horrified, the young king jerked his head up to face his bride.

"No he cannot!"

The white mage blindly reached over to pat her husband's knee, her eyes still on Kain as she smiled brightly.

"He's just being argumentative today. Come over here and tell me your opinion."

The blonde knight took a few steps into the room, bemused by how completely Cecil deflated as his wife turned back to look at him. Rosa was a good woman, truly, but she had quite the mischievous side and Kain had so much in his arsenal on his king now that it was kind of sad in a way. Not that he'd ever stoop to blackmail, but the dragoon had never realized that his friend was so easily brought out of sorts before the paladin and white mage were wed.

Not knowing what to expect currently, Kain paused halfway between the door and the royal couple before Rosa raised her hand to her husband's head and the smaller knight hunched down with an ever darkening blush. After a moment of silence, the paladin squirmed a bit in his chair before subtly leaning over, closer to his wife. Within seconds his eyes began to droop lazily, and not long after he sagged just a bit closer, enough for Rosa's free hand to be able to reach for him conveniently. If it was possible for a man to purr, then Kain was positive that Cecil would be doing so right then and there. As it was, the dragoon was not terribly surprised to hear little mews and inarticulate murmurs as Rosa continued scratching and petting the paladin's hair. Who would have guessed that Baron's king had such a weakness to touch?


	14. Portend C,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 15 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>portend<em>, verb;  
>1. To indicate (events, misfortunes, etc.) as in future; to foreshadow; to bode.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa had always been highly offended on behalf of the bloodless prince whenever she overheard the other noble children talking about how he was too weird and creepy and different, and he would definitely grow up to be some kind of miscreant. Cecil looked different, for sure, but he was an absolute sweetheart. So what if his skin was fairer than any woman's? So what if his hair was so pale it looked more white than blonde? So what if his mouth was blue instead of pink? So what if he was super short up until his belated maturation between his sixteenth and eighteenth years? He had a big heart and he was generous to a fault and he was one really big klutz for a good portion of his younger years.

Being a dark knight had never suited him, would never suit him, and the white mage knew that long before he first consented to learning the trade. Cecil would be a great knight, for all of his honor and nobility, but it took darker men to master such black skills completely. His men knew it, too, because the leader of the Red Wings put more effort into considering how his soldiers would fair in any given situation than any of the other officers. Cecil didn't have a spiteful bone in his body, and all those nobles who had thought otherwise in their youth could do something highly inappropriate with the chocobo steeds for maintaining such a slanderous image of Baron's adopted prince up until he was a grown man.


	15. Ratiocination K,R, KxR, imKxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 16 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain, Rosa, Kain x Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>ratiocination<em>, noun;  
>1. The process of logical reasoning.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"What's wrong, Kain?"

Keeping his eyes clenched shut and pressing his fingers to his temples to ward off the coming headache, the dragoon shook his head.

"One more ledger and I'll cut my own eyes out."

It went without saying that holding a high office meant a lot of extra work, a great deal of which was boring. Cecil put up with it, didn't even really complain much about it, and honestly had more of it to deal with than the head of Baron's Royal Dragoon Guard, but Kain loathed anything that kept him from moving.

"Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

It was sweet of his queen to ask, but Rosa had her own problems to handle, not to mention two young boys to rear, and this was all related to the guard anyway so Kain rather needed to be aware of it all himself.

"The only thing that can make _this_ better is not having to think about it at all."

What happened next took the blonde knight completely by surprise, but he'd have been lying if he said he was repulsed by it. In response to his statement, the white mage cupped the back of his head and pressed his face into her soft, full bosoms. With the low cut of the top of her dress, the blonde was nuzzling into bare skin, and he felt his lips twitch as he dropped his hands to loop his arms around the small of her back.

"Better?"

With his mouth pressed between the swells of her breasts, his response was muffled, but his opinion on the matter was quite clear as he nuzzled into the warm flesh.

"Much."

His lover laughed softly and stroked his hair as though he was some big cat, but Baron's Lord Commander of the Royal Dragoon Guard hardly saw fit to argue such pampering.


	16. Equivocate K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 17 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>equivocate<em>, intransitive verb;  
>1. To be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or to avoid committing oneself to anything definite.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Eblan's king vexed Kain a great deal. King Geraldine wasn't really the main issue, but he should have better control over his soldiers, because those men did not seem to understand that the blonde's non-answer was never going to change. And who in the world inquired about another man's intimate relationships? The ninja didn't _need_ to understand what went on amongst the paladin, the white mage, and the dragoon. It was not their business how the blonde man fit into the dynamics of a married couple's lives, and Kain was a bit insulted that he needed to defend himself to the foreigners anyway. That king of theirs _knew_ they were hassling him, too, but never dissuaded his blasted guards from their crude gossip. Did it never occur to any one of them that the royal couple's primary guard would have legitimate reason to be seen exiting their chambers in the morning? Like, for instance, _waking them up_? Or perhaps informing the king of what he would need to handle that morning before he attended to his regular duties? Not everything had to amount to a scandal. Of course, Kain regularly slept with Baron's royal couple, but the ninja didn't need to _know_ that.


	17. Frisson C,K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 18 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>frisson<em>, noun;  
>1. A moment of intense excitement; a shudder; an emotional thrill.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain wasn't able to respond for an instant, frozen in shock and wonder. He had known that his lover was giving birth to his first child, his flesh and blood, but his mind was empty as he looked at the swaddled babe being presented to him. A son, she said, although he did not readily understand the meaning of her words as he gazed at this tiny body with squinting brown eyes and a fair complexion. After an undefined amount of time, a strong hand rested on his shoulder and Kain broke his gaze from the newborn to turn to the man standing behind him. Cecil smiled gently and nodded toward the boy, and the dragoon took the steady support gratefully.

"Congratulations."

With a shaky breath, the blonde knight turned back to the tiny child and very, very carefully took the babe into his silk-encased arms. This was his heir, born from the womb of the woman of his dreams, and Kain felt his heart swell as he gazed down at this tiny child. It was different, this time, then it had been when Rosa had bore Ceodore. Different, and indescribable. Cecil probably knew exactly what it felt like, though, having gone through it before. Kain was only too thrilled that he had been given the chance to feel this himself.


	18. Tchotchke C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 19 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>tchotchke<em>, noun;  
>1. A trinket; a knickknack.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It wasn't particularly obvious unless all factors were aligned and the light hit him just right, but Cecil had pierced ears. It had been a stupid dare, one that Kain had egged him into doing during their much younger years, and the little boy had gone out of his way to prove that he wasn't "a super sissy little girl" to the older boy by doing something that _only girls did_. The irony had been rather lost on them when they'd been much younger, but Cecil had not let the piercings heal closed as a point of pride. Rosa had been exasperated with the both of them, even when it had first happened, but she picked her battles and the two of them being utter buffoons was not worth fighting over.

Kain didn't know why he'd done it after the fact, but, around when he was fourteen, he'd presented Cecil with a pair of simple bar-shaped dangling gold earrings – his only real memento of his dead mother. The blonde didn't regret it, although he'd felt awkward about giving such an expensive gift to _Cecil_ instead of _Rosa_. But Rosa didn't have pierced ears back then. Cecil hadn't taken them off ever since he'd first touched them, not for anything, and he was viciously protective of them the few times the other soldiers happened to notice them.

Although he supposed that he should have expected it, Kain was nevertheless surprised upon his return to Baron from purifying himself and saw that those earrings were still very much present. It was such an insignificant thing, but, to the dragoon, that was the first sign of their friendship, even before Cecil had hurried from the throne to embrace him. It meant that he still had a place in their hearts, and that meant more to him than he'd thought it would.


	19. Inveigh C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 20 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>inveigh<em>, intransitive verb;  
>1. To rail (against some person or thing); to protest strongly or attack with harsh and bitter language - usually with "against."<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain turned his head away, biting his tongue to prevent from snickering outright. It wasn't funny – well, it _was_ funny, but Cecil was having a bad time of it – that this particular noble would not stop butting heads with Baron's king. The paladin was ridiculously patient, but even his nerves were fraying by that point. The man had been hounding Cecil for _months_, but Cecil could very well be more stubborn than a mule when his mind was set, and in this instance he was not to be moved. It took Rosa's intervention to get Lord Sangott to relent for the day, and the doors had barely closed behind him before the paladin brought both hands up to cover his face as his head thumped back against the high back of his throne, skewing his crown. Kain could no longer hold back his amusement, chuckling even louder when one doe-like emerald eye peeked out from behind powder white hands to glare halfheartedly at him. If the dragoon hadn't known the paladin as well as he did, he'd never have figured out what the irritable mutter that followed was.

"Jerk."

He'd never said anything worse to Kain, even though the blonde knew that Cecil knew how to insult a man. It was barely an insult in the first place, but, coming from the paladin, it was more of an affectionate pet name than even so pathetic of an insult.

"You'll survive, princess."

The younger man lowered his hands from his face with a sigh, fumbling as the crown nearly fell from his head with his motions. The dragoon suspected that his friend would probably never get used to the thing – it didn't even properly fit him.

"I thought you were supposed to be my guardian. If he brings it up again, would you at least escort him _away_ so that I might handle actual issues?"

Snorting, Kain crossed his armored arms but felt his lips draw up in response to that ridiculous request. Mostly because he knew very well that Cecil would never allow such a thing to happen, no matter how badly Sangott was trying him.


	20. Propound C,K,R, CxR, sugKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 21 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: M<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa, suggested Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>propound<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To offer for consideration; to put forward; to propose.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil didn't remember the previous night. _At all_. He didn't have a bad headache, but the only explanation for his current position was that he'd gotten so drunk he'd blacked out. And he hated drinking to excess, so that didn't make any sense either. But he was not in his room, not in his bed, and he knew damn good and well that it was not his wife's arm slung over his unclothed hip; if the rumbling snoring at the back of his head wasn't enough of a tip, the naked hardness digging into his lower back was a dead giveaway. The paladin was caught between leaping from the bed in a blind panic and stealthily disengaging and fleeing with his dignity intact. Clearly, he'd slept with a man. He didn't know _why_ he'd slept with a man, but he'd definitely done so. To make matters worse, from what Cecil could currently see of the room, he had no clothes to wear. So he hadn't been wearing clothes when he'd entered this chamber. He really didn't want to know what had happened the prior evening; he could only pray that it wasn't too damaging to his name and house.

Half fearing what he would see when he turned, the paladin nevertheless shifted just enough to glance over his shoulder. At Kain. Kain, who abruptly stopped snoring as he felt movement and woke up almost instantly. Blonde brows furrowed at first and the dragoon flexed his sleep-stiffened muscles, mentally and physically shrugging off his wooziness. Not having a clue as to how to approach the subject, Cecil stayed silent and watched his best friend look around the room and begin to take stock of their situation. From the widening of chocolate eyes, the paladin felt safe in assuming that the taller knight had been given a shock from their situation as well. The blonde shifted behind him, his spear grinding into the younger man's back with the motion, and both of them froze. Color flushed across angular cheeks as the dragoon jerked his hips back while removing his arm from being dangerously close to territory that was only supposed to be known to the paladin's wife.

"Cecil..."

For several seconds they stared at one another awkwardly, neither knowing what to say. The door opened suddenly and without warning, letting in Rosa, and Cecil flushed in shame and humiliation for betraying his wife with their best friend.

"Oh good, you're awake now."

For a moment the younger knight's jaw worked without a single sound issuing from between parted lips. Closing his mouth with a light click of his teeth, the paladin swallowed once before trying again, his voice slightly shaky.

"P-pardon?"

The white mage smiled first before she frowned disapprovingly at them both as she got further into her explanation.

"It was enough of a hassle just to get you both in here. Honestly, it's one thing to celebrate, but you both went overfar last night. Getting so drunk as to vomit on yourselves. What were you thinking?"

She moved further into the room then, and Cecil felt such a surge of adrenaline in his system that he was surprised his heart wasn't pounding through his ribs.

"Y-you disrobed us?"

Pale eyes blinked before her brows quirked, as if confused.

"Well I couldn't leave you covered in such filth."

Allowing his head to fall to the bed in relief, the paladin closed his eyes and felt the dread lift from his shoulders.

"Then we didn't..."

"...Didn't?"

Cecil coughed and opened his eyes, his cheeks pink as he replied to his wife's question, eyeing the pile of fabric in her hold.

"Never you mind that. You brought a change of clothes?"

With a short nod and a smile, the white mage set down the cloth in her arms on the nearest table.

"One for each of you. I'll leave you to dress; breakfast has been prepared."

Beside him, Kain's deep voice rumbled from his chest.

"Thank you, Rosa."

Smiling warmly toward the dragoon, she nodded once and then turned away and left, shutting the door behind herself.

"You're welcome."

For a moment after she left, neither man moved, but then they both rose up as one in a mixture of relief and disgust with themselves, intending to sit upright on the guest bed and gather their wits. Cecil only got about halfway before he gasped loudly and fell back, his hands immediately pressing against his lower back as the motion shifted something inside of him and his body expressed displeasure. Both knights froze, their eyes widening as they stared at one another before the paladin turned bright red. It was bad enough when he'd thought that he'd slept with a man _as_ the man, but _this_...

There was a knock on the door before Rosa spoke up from outside, allowing them their privacy.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, you fell backward into a table at one point, Cecil. I didn't see a bruise but you might want to be careful."

Raising his voice enough to be heard on the other side of the heavy door, the paladin replied to his wife's words.

"Thank you for the warning, Rosa."

Still watching one another warily, the knights waited another moment before the young king cast a mild healing spell on himself and then moved to sit upright again. This time he could do so, and Kain followed suit a moment later, passing over Cecil to stand up and go retrieve their clothing. Gratefully accepting the articles, Cecil promised himself as he dressed that he would never drink more than a single mug of mead on any given day for the rest of his life. The scares of this day were more than enough of a lesson for him.


	21. Acrid C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 22 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>acrid<em>, adjective;  
>1. Sharp and harsh, or bitter to the taste or smell; pungent.<br>2. Caustic in language or tone; bitter.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

It pained them, when Rosa simply could not conceive Cecil's child. The paladin king was hurting all the more with the knowledge that it was not his wife who was infertile. As often as they laid with their primary guard, if the shame had been hers to bear than she would never have born Kain two sons. This was a defeat that weighed down his entire being, knowing that no matter what happened in his life he would never have a son of his own flesh and blood. His wife and guard tried to be understanding, but neither of them bore the shame of it. Cecil was glad of that, that neither of his lovers suffered as he did. But this was a problem that was his alone to content with, and their pity only made it worse.


	22. Lachrymose C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 23 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: M<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>lachrymose<em>, adjective;  
>1. Generating or shedding tears; given to shedding tears; suffused with tears; tearful.<br>2. Causing or tending to cause tears.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

As untoward as it was for a man to show emotions, Kain could forgive a strong showing during moments of passion. But it was still surprising and confusing that Cecil cried during sex. It wasn't because he was being hurt or anything, and the dragoon had made damn good and certain of that the first few times that emerald eyes had gotten that particular sheen. He was no longer worried that he was injuring the younger knight, because Cecil had punched him on the top of his head the time Kain had not done enough to prepare him properly and then spent a good five minutes haranguing the blonde about "being a brutish pig" and "trying to gore him," and the prince hadn't shed a single tear then. So Cecil cried because _he felt good_, and that was the most confounding thing to Kain. The dragoon got over it, though, because, odd as it was, it was a good sign that he was doing well.


	23. Fop C,K, CxR,KxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 24 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>fop<em>, noun;  
>1. A man who is overly concerned with or vain about his dress and appearance; a dandy.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Is this really necessary?"

A sharp tug of the comb through his hair caused the dragoon-in-training to flinch and grunt in pain. Behind him, the little bloodless prince scowled quite fiercely as he gently continued straightening the blonde's appearance.

"_You_ are the one who wishes to impress. Women are naturally attracted to well-groomed men."

Snorting, Kain crossed his arms over his chest and winced at the light warning tug against his hair. Cecil was rather catty for a boy, and the blonde wondered at times if that was normal for members of the peasant class or if the little clanless prince was unique in his behaviors.

"I suppose that explains why courtesans flock to you."

A quick glance over his shoulder proved that Cecil was furiously blushing as he focused with unnecessary intensity on a stubborn knot near the tips of Kain's lank tresses. Of course, the courtesans who were after Cecil wanted the wealth associated with the title of princedom, not really the prince himself. Courtesans were often nobles too, and pedigree was the most important thing to nobility. About the only thing Cecil had in his favor was that King Odin personally favored him, and the young adopted prince of Baron knew intimately that his place in the high court would be best likened to that of a pet, not an heir. He did his best to fit in, but nobles were callous and the bloodless prince's precarious position was lorded over his head every minute of every day. It didn't help that he was a tiny thing, even at twelve, when the physical training of knighthood really took hold. If he couldn't keep up with the rest, private speculation was that Cecil would lose His Majesty's favor. The bloodless prince did not flinch at such harsh words, smiling in response, and Kain figured that if the younger boy really did lose King Odin's support than the blonde heir to the Highwind clan could always use a personal helper.

"There's no need to be crass, Kain."

The blonde knight-in-training grunted in response, refraining from saying anything disdainful. Cecil still had a hold of his hair, after all. And the older boy was about the only person alive who willingly tolerated the childish abuse. Cecil meant well, working to instill all of the courtly mannerisms in Kain that he required to successfully hold his own against others, and the blonde could admit that sometimes a blow to the head was the only way for him to learn certain things.

"Rosa will be quite pleased to see how well you clean up."

Kain was not oblivious to the fact that the younger boy liked their mutual friend, but Cecil was too shy to approach her. She was nobility, and he was naught but a mutt with an expensive collar. He had nothing definite to offer her, and he was unwilling to provoke disdain over his untoward affections. Rosa was smart, and she probably knew that he liked her, but she had saved him from the shame of her denial by pretending she'd seen nothing. It was good of her, and one of the many reasons that Kain himself cared for her as more than a friend, but at the same time it was such a damning quality. The bloodless prince was clever, and the only thing barring him from truly enjoying the status of royalty was his lack of pedigree. Truly, Kain hoped that the boy could make something of himself, because Cecil simply wouldn't last without a benefactor.


	24. Defenestrate C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 25 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
>Author Notes: <em>defenestrate<em>, transitive verb;  
>1. To throw out of a window.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"You-! Of all of the- why would- I can't _believe_-"

The blonde knight-in-training grinned, still mentally crowing over the success of his most recent leap. He hadn't been positive that he could make it to Cecil's bedchamber, but he'd taken a chance, a leap of faith so to speak, and it had just been a touch of misfortune that Cecil had been on his bed reading when Kain had vaulted through the window. It was only midday, but the unexpected weight of the body suddenly on top of him had caused the bloodless prince to shriek rather shrilly and fling the tome in his hands at his assailant's head. Cecil was still terribly wound up about it, although he at least had the sense to recognize the blonde before he began to violently thrash.

"I did it."

The younger boy paused his stuttered ranting at the abrupt statement, his voice lowering as he made his inquiry although the hint of embarrassed anger still simmered in the background.

"Did what?"

The older knight-in-training puffed up pridefully, perfectly willing to boast of his achievement to the little prince.

"I was at the base of the tower a moment ago."

Green eyes widened and Cecil brought his hands together giddily.

"You- Kain, that's amazing!"

Preening, the blonde smirked and waved his hand half dismissively.

"I had no doubts."

Emerald eyes twinkling, the smaller boy grinned cheekily up at him and lowered his hands.

"Yes, well, _I_ did, and I apologize for doubting you."

It wasn't that unusual for Cecil to tease him, but Kain wasn't about to let him get away with it this time. With narrowed eyes, the older boy leaned down so close that their noses touched, and grinned mischievously.

"There's nothing stopping me from coming and going as I please, now."

Before he could second guess himself, Kain dropped down just a touch closer and took the younger boy's surprisingly soft lips with his own. The kiss was chaste, and when he pulled back Kain felt he'd claimed another victory this day as the little clanless prince spluttered, blushing crimson from the roots of his hair down to the tips of his bare toes. Before Cecil could pull himself together, the blonde patted one silk-clad hip with clear insinuation in his gaze and then fled back out of the window he had entered from. He was on the ground again before he heard a high-pitched scream of fury from above.

"KAIN!"


	25. Brio C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 26 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>brio<em>, noun;  
>1. Enthusiastic vigor; vivacity; liveliness; spirit.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain winced as the maid shooed him out of Cecil's room with a broom thwacking him repeatedly on his backside. He'd heard that the bloodless prince was sick and he'd just wanted to make sure his friend was okay. Alright, waking Cecil up from a dead sleep to ask him how he felt was _probably_ not the best approach, but he'd gotten the younger boy the glass of water he'd rasped out a request for and he'd wrestled with him to keep him entertained. It was boring to be trapped in bed, Kain knew, and he'd only wanted to help.

Shooting a scowl at the woman's back as the maid turned to go back into Cecil's chambers, the blonde sniffed irritably and glanced around. It wasn't honorable to allow himself to be turned away from a comrade in need without a struggle. He'd wait a bit and then he'd sneak back in to make sure Cecil was doing better. Friends stuck together, after all.


	26. Supercilious C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 27 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>supercilious<em>, adjective;  
>1. Disdainfully arrogant; haughty.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Even Rosa was willing to admit that Cecil had never been very manly growing up. As often as Kain joked that the adopted royal was a prissy little princess, it was the honest truth and there was no question about it. He was tiny and fair-skinned, his face was smooth and heart-shaped, his eyes were big and innocent looking, his hair was long and fluffy like a kitten's fur, his voice was high and soft, his mannerisms demure, and a lot of nobles in their generation mercilessly teased him for it. There were a few who were downright cruel about it, going as far as to grab a fistful of moon-tone locks and shake viciously while sniping that he'd do better to wear a dress like he was meant to. Cecil was willing to put up with a lot, but even he got tired of such rude childishness. Rosa had commented privately, when it was just her, Cecil, and Kain, that such behavior was reminiscent of a child of three years tugging on a girl's pigtails – they were just angry because they liked him a lot and couldn't express themselves appropriately. Duly horrified, the young prince no longer shrugged off the rudeness and the next time they attacked him, he used his fencing skills to his advantage. The adopted prince might be a bit girly, so to speak, but he was not a weakling.


	27. Gesticulate C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 28 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>gesticulate<em>, intransitive verb;  
>1. To make gestures or motions, especially while speaking or instead of speaking.<br>transitive verb;  
>1. To indicate or express by gestures.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil didn't think it particularly fair that he was constantly compared to the Highwind heir. Kain was a purebred noble and Cecil was, as he was so kindly informed of so often, a "no name mongrel peasant living in the castle under the grace of their king." Kain was tall and strong and had a powerful presence, and Cecil was short and scrawny and frequently ignored by his peers. Kain was blunt and no-nonsense while Cecil was demure and cautious. Basically, Kain was everything that a prince should be and Cecil was everything a prince shouldn't be. He knew perfectly well that he wasn't like Kain, and he was tired of having his face rubbed in it by the noble children who were so disdainful of his lacking pedigree.

Fortunately, _Kain_ didn't care, not like the others. He liked Cecil just fine, and the adults liked Cecil just fine, and that meant Kain was clearly more mature than the other boys because he could see whatever the adults saw. Cecil was perfectly happy being around Kain, even though in doing so he attracted even more comparisons between them. Kain was big and irritable like a dragon, though, and tended to chase the ones away that annoyed him with their taunting. Cecil fancied that Kain was his own personal dragon protector, like that big dragon that the blonde took care of in his father's stead. Like that dragon, Kain was fierce and had a thundering roar when facing off against his opponents, while still being sweet and gentle to his friends. The older boy thought Cecil a little off for stroking blonde locks or hugging him around his neck, but the prince was only mimicking what Kain did with his dragon, and the blonde never complained about the treatment.


	28. Probity C,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 29 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
>Author Notes: <em>probity<em>, noun;  
>1. Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa could never question Cecil's loyalty to her. So many of the nobility thought of women as trophies and trinkets, items to have for a fancy and then discard when they had been used up. Even Kain had a clearly wandering eye when they were growing, but Cecil had never been like that. He was happily monogamous, and that made Rosa happy in turn. She didn't have to fret over the things she knew other men's wives tittered about, and it left her more time to be with her husband and aid him in his rule over the kingdom. It also allowed her to be more content with their son, knowing that he would have a caring role model to emulate. Girls should be treated as more than mere possessions, and the white mage counted herself lucky that she had found that one-in-a-million man who did so.


	29. Inveterate C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 30 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: K+<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>inveterate<em>, adjective;  
>1. Firmly established by long persistence; deep-rooted; of long standing.<br>2. Fixed in habit by long persistence; confirmed; habitual.  
>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed andor modified as I see fit.

...

In the commotion of trying to prevent a great evil from descending on the world, Cecil hadn't had the chance to say anything, but now he had the time and he intended to do just that. The paladin didn't appreciate how Prince Edge had complained and besmirched Kain's name in the face of all of the confusion. The dragoon was a good man, an honorable man, and he was completely undeserving of the terrible pains that he'd undergone. To not be in control of one's own mind, Cecil couldn't imagine what that could be like. And to know what was happening besides, and yet be incapable of taking the righteous path no matter how you knew that your current actions were clearly the wrong ones... Kain bore a heavy burden from that. Cecil didn't blame his friend, but he knew better than to attempt to convince the new king of Eblan that the dragoon was innocent. It was too much to claim innocence, but the paladin could very well express the blonde's history insomuch that he was more loyal than the ninja gave him credit for and he had a good heart regardless of all else. Had he really been such a terrible man, would he not have scoffed at the notion of remorse over past misdeeds? Edge needed to understand, as a fellow ruler and a man Cecil would likely be in contact with more than once in the coming years, that the blonde knight would always be his best friend and guardian, and nothing would change that.


	30. Hobson's choice C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
>Author: Garnet Eyes<br>Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
>Last Updated: 12 Mar 2011<br>Summary: 31 January 2000 edition.  
>Rating: T<br>Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
>Author Notes: <em>Hobson's choice<em>, noun;  
>1. A choice without an alternative; the thing offered or nothing.<br>Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although it had been posed as a question, it was clear that the nobility believed that the Last Highwind should be punished for his role in the terror that befell the world. And they didn't want to settle for anything less than total disgrace, stripping him of rank, title, and house, and banishing him if not outright execution. The crown was still balancing unclaimed due to the honorable King Odin's illegitimate heirs rising up to fight for the position, and this was one of those matters of grave importance to the highborn of Baron. The illegitimate heirs, who had played no great part in the matters preceding the defeat of the monstrous creature that had imposed itself on the world, all proclaimed that they would do everything in their power to bring the Last Highwind to his knees. In pure disgust, Cecil had done the only thing he could: with Cid and Rosa's help, he'd secreted away all of the wealth of the Highwind clan and gained the rights to asylum in every other kingdom, and then he'd told the courts off for their pettiness. Kain had _helped_ to expose and end a terrible threat, and he'd sacrificed to do so; he'd even landed the killing blow against Zeromus in the end. If they were too blinded by their greed to see the truth, then so be it, but Cecil wanted no part of such a hostile nation, that would murder one of its heroes for the sake of pinning the blame for a horrible tragedy on one face. All of Baron had played a part in dishonoring the kingdom, or did the courts forget that every last soldier had at one point or another been tasked by the false king to do some unspeakable deed? Kain would always be welcome as far as the paladin was concerned, and that was his final word on the matter.

Somehow, Cecil still ended up as Baron's king.


End file.
